‘Threat to Democracy’: Jane Fonda sounds alarm on possible Netflix-Warner Bros. deal
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood actress Jane Fonda has reacted to the controversial industry-shaking $82.7B Netflix-Warner Bros. deal, sharply escalating her criticism, issuing a warning that the deal is a threat to free expression and democratic norms.
She framed the possible merger as a deepening political influence over media, undermining the First Amendment in an op-ed published at The Ankler,
Jane Fonda flags fear of political interference
Fonda pointed to claims that President Donald Trump and his associates wielded undue influence over the recent Skydance-Paramount merger and expressed fear that the yet to be completed Warner sale will be more of the same.
“This is not how media companies behave in a healthy democracy. It’s what political leverage over media companies looks like, and it’s right out of the authoritarian playbook,” Fonda railed.
She went on to say, “I want to be very clear: The First Amendment is not partisan, and neither is standing up to defend it. Even conservative leaders have warned that the administration is operating outside legal and ethical bounds."
"When the FCC Chair threatened Kimmel, several prominent Trump allies objected. Senator Ted Cruz said that using merger reviews to pressure media companies “creates a dangerous precedent” — one that could just as easily be used to silence conservatives under a future Democratic administration.
“They will silence us,” he warned. He was right to be concerned. Everyone should be. Without the foundation of the First Amendment, every other aspect of our democratic society, including the American guarantee that we are free to live as we choose, is at risk, she shared.
Jane Fonda warns endangerment of free expression and democracy
In her editorial on behalf of her newly revived Committee for the First Amendment, Fonda claimed that the sale threatens the very existence of the First Amendment.
The statement read, “Today’s news that Warner Bros. Discovery has accepted a purchase bid is an alarming escalation of the consolidation that threatens the entire entertainment industry, the democratic public it serves, and the First Amendment itself.
“Make no mistake, this is not just a catastrophic business deal that could destroy our creative industry. It is a constitutional crisis exacerbated by the administration’s demonstrated disregard for the law.”
A call to resist political pressure
“To the Justice Department and state attorneys general: We know this deal — or any deal of this magnitude — will trigger your antitrust review obligation, and we demand that you categorically refrain from using that power to extract political concessions that influence content decisions or chill free speech.
“To Netflix and any company that becomes involved in this destructive deal: We have watched industry leaders acquiesce to the administration’s demands at the expense of our livelihoods, our storytelling, and our constitutional rights.
"As stewards of an industry built on free expression, you have a responsibility to defend our rights, not trade them away to pad your pockets. We know there will be enormous pressure to acquiesce; it is critical you stay strong. We are watching closely, organizing, and ready to mobilize,” she wrote.
